A Spreadsheet Simulation Of The Monty Hall Problem

The “Monty Hall” problem or “Three Door” problem—where a person chooses one of three doors in hope of winning a valuable prize but is subsequently offered the choice of changing his or her selection—is a well known and often discussed probability problem.  In this paper, the structure, history, and ultimate solution of the Monty Hall problem are discussed. The problem solution is modeled with a spreadsheet simulation that evaluates the frequencies of the possible outcomes (win or lose) under the two choices or strategies available:  switch to the unopened door or do not switch. A Law of Large Numbers approach is also used to graphically demonstrate the long run outcome of adopting one the two available strategies. As is known, the optimal strategy is to switch to the unopened door; the spreadsheet model illustrates why this strategy is optimal. A complete discussion of the spreadsheet logic is included. Pedagogical approaches and applications of the spreadsheet simulation approach are also discussed

Assessing the Value of Coordinated Sire Genetics in a Synchronized AI Program

Synchronized artificial insemination was used to inseminate cows using different types of sire genetics, including low-accuracy, calving-ease, and high-accuracy. These three calf sire groups were compared to calves born to cows bred using natural service. We found substantial production efficiency grains, carcass merit improvement, and economic value to calves born to cows following a synchronized artificial insemination program with high-accuracy semen included. The economic advantage to the high-accuracy calf sire group was computed to be in the neighborhood of $40 to$80/head, relative to the natural service calf sire group.artificial insemination, beef, cow, carcass, feed-out, genetics, pre-conditioning, sire synchronization., Agricultural Finance,

The impact of industrialization on the private sector and public sector economies of Wichita Falls, Texas

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between industrialization and changes that occurred in the local economy and the quality of life in a selected North Central Texas community which had experienceg industrial growth

Application of Sinboron Fibrous Monoliths for Air Breathing Engine Applications

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76640/1/AIAA-2005-3646-549.pd

PEGASUS: A multi-megawatt nuclear electric propulsion system

A propulsion system (PEGASUS) consisting of an electric thruster driven by a multimegawatt nuclear power system is proposed for a manned Mars mission. Magnetoplasmadynamic and mercury-ion thrusters are considered, based on a mission profile containing a 510-day burn time (for a mission time of approximately 1000 days). Both thrusters are capable of meeting the mission parameters. Electric propulsion systems have significant advantages over chemical systems, because of high specific impulse, lower propellant requirements, and lower system mass. The power for the PEGASUS system is supplied by a boiling liquid-metal fast reactor. The power system consists of the reactor, reactor shielding, power conditioning subsystems, and heat rejection subsystems. It is capable of providing a maximum of 8.5 megawatts of electrical power of which 6 megawatts is needed for the thruster system, leaving 1.5 megawatts available for inflight mission applications

Theoretical Design of Thermosyphon for Process Heat Transfer from NGNP to Hydrogen Plant

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) will most likely produce electricity and process heat, with both being considered for hydrogen production. To capture nuclear process heat, and transport it to a distant industrial facility requires a high temperature system of heat exchangers, pumps and/or compressors. The heat transfer system is particularly challenging not only due to the elevated temperatures (up to ~ 1300K) and industrial scale power transport (=50 MW), but also due to a potentially large separation distance between the nuclear and industrial plants (100+m) dictated by safety and licensing mandates. The work reported here is the preliminary analysis of two-phase thermosyphon heat transfer performance with alkali metals. A thermosyphon is a device for transporting heat from one point to another with quite extraordinary properties. In contrast to single-phased forced convective heat transfer via ‘pumping a fluid’, a thermosyphon (also called a wickless heat pipe) transfers heat through the vaporization / condensing process. The condensate is further returned to the hot source by gravity, i.e. without any requirement of pumps or compressors. With this mode of heat transfer, the thermosyphon has the capability to transport heat at high rates over appreciable distances, virtually isothermally and without any requirement for external pumping devices. Two-phase heat transfer by a thermosyphon has the advantage of high enthalpy transport that includes the sensible heat of the liquid, the latent heat of vaporization, and vapor superheat. In contrast, single-phase forced convection transports only the sensible heat of the fluid. Additionally, vapor-phase velocities within a thermosyphon are much greater than single-phase liquid velocities within a forced convective loop. Thermosyphon performance can be limited by the sonic limit (choking) or vapor flow and/or by condensate entrainment. Proper thermosyphon requires analysis of both

Status of Propulsion Technology Development Under the NASA In-space Propulsion Technology Program

Since 2001, the In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program has been developing and delivering in-space propulsion technologies for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). These in-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for future NASA Discovery, New Frontiers, Flagship and sample return missions currently under consideration. The ISPT program is currently developing technology in three areas that include Propulsion System Technologies, Entry Vehicle Technologies, and Systems Mission Analysis. ISPT's propulsion technologies include: 1) the 0.6-7 kW NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) gridded ion propulsion system; 2) a 0.3-3.9kW Hall-effect electric propulsion (HEP) system for low cost and sample return missions; 3) the Xenon Flow Control Module (XFCM); 4) ultra-lightweight propellant tank technologies (ULTT); and 5) propulsion technologies for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The HEP system is composed of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) thruster, a power processing unit (PPU), and the XFCM. NEXT and the HiVHAc are throttle-able electric propulsion systems for planetary science missions. The XFCM and ULTT are two component technologies which being developed with nearer-term flight infusion in mind. Several of the ISPT technologies are related to sample return missions needs like: MAV propulsion and electric propulsion. And finally, one focus of the SystemsMission Analysis area is developing tools that aid the application or operation of these technologies on wide variety of mission concepts. This paper provides a brief overview of the ISPT program, describing the development status and technology infusion readiness

Effect of Channel Configurations for Tritium Transfer in Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), a very High temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR) concept, will provide the first demonstration of a closed-loop Brayton cycle at a commercial scale of a few hundred megawatts electric and hydrogen production. The power conversion system (PCS) for the NGNP will take advantage of the significantly higher reactor outlet temperatures of the VHTR to provide higher efficiencies than can be achieved in the current generation of light water reactors. Besides demonstrating a system design that can be used directly for subsequent commercial deployment, the NGNP will demonstrate key technology elements that can be used in subsequent advanced power conversion systems for other Generation IV reactors. In anticipation of the design, development and procurement of an advanced power conversion system for the NGNP, the system integration of the NGNP and hydrogen plant was initiated to identify the important design and technology options that must be considered in evaluating the performance of the proposed NGNP. In the VHTR system, an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX), which transfers heat from the reactor core to the electricity or hydrogen production system is one key component, and its effectiveness is directly related to the system overall efficiency. In the VHTRs, the gas fluids used for coolant generally have poor heat transfer capability, so it requires very large surface area for a given condition. For this reason, a compact heat exchanger (CHE), which is widely used in industry especially for gasto-gas or gas-to-liquid heat exchange is considered as a potential candidate for an IHX replacing the classical shell and tube type heat exchanger. A compact heat exchanger is arbitrary referred to be a heat exchanger having a surface area density greater than 700 m2/m3. The compactness is usually achieved by fins and micro-channels, and leads to the enormous heat transfer enhancement and size reduction. The surface area density is the total heat transfer area divided by the volume of the heat exchanger. In the case of PCHE units, the heat transfer surface area density may be as high as 2,500 m2/m3. This high compactness implies an appreciable reduction in material reducing cost. In this study, heat transfer and tritium penetration analyses have been performed for two different channel configurations of the PCHE; (1) standard and (2) off-set. One of the goals of this study was to determine whether offsetting the hot and cold streams would significantly reduce the tritium flux, and whether or not it would affect the heat transfer significantly